2017-02-14 - Tuesday - Kiln firing

I helped Kimberly fire the gas kiln at Clayworks on Tuesday. It takes most of the day, and I arrived in the afternoon.

In the early evening we did the "final soak" where we push the damper in a bit and really reduce the oxygen in the kiln for about 20-30 minutes.

Firing the gas kiln in reduction is quite a balancing act: getting the temperature to rise while keeping the oxygen levels low. Kimberly is very good at it and I am trying to learn the process by shadowing her.

During the final soak the flames
come out of the flue trying to find oxygen.

Pulling the peep shows a lot of "back pressure".
Once again, the flame is escaping the kiln to find oxygen.
Vince looks on.

By the time I left, the temperature had fallen
from 2299 F to 1729 F with a long way to go.

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